vollbrecht



y 1940. A. VOLLBRECHT I 2,200,684

PASSENGER CARRYING AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Nov. 20, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS 'Ma 14, 1940. A, V LLBRECHT 2.200.684

PASSENGER CARRYING AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Nov. 20, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR myw@ ATTORNEY5 Ma 14, 1940. A. VOLLBRECHT PASSENGER CARRYING AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Nov. 20, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS,

]; Patented M y 14 1 a PATENTOFFICE I PASSENGER CARRYIISTG t l DEVICE to Arthur Vollhrecht, Saginaw, Mich Application November 20, 1939, Se 1 i al 305, 337 4 Claims. @(01. 104 75) This invention relates to amusementdevices,

tion of the arrows.

and its general object is to1 provide what is generally termed an amusement, ride or passenger carrying device which includes cars that are not only propelled about a circuitous track including portions crossing each other, but each car is mounted on a carriage for free rotation, with the carriages associatedwith and disposed about the propelling means in a manner so that,fias 1g; thecars approach the crossing, it appearsflthat they willcollidayet will safely pass each other without contact, and that feature together. with i the factthatthe rotation ofthe cars cannot be controlled, provides most unusual sensations and 6 amusement and fun. i w

thrills for the passengersf and therefore much A 'furthe'r objectis to provide a assenger carrying amusement device that is capable of providing thrills, without possibilityof injury to 20.,the passengers andthe device is simple in constructiOnQineXpensive to manufacture, easy to assemblegand extremely efficient in operation, u n e ic 1 t a n I H r This invention also consists in certain other v features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings out in the a pended claims.

all In describingthe invention in detail, reference willbe;had to the accompanying drawings Wh ereinlike charactersdenote like or correspending partsthroughout the several views, and inwhich: l

Figure 1 is a top planview of my amusement device, with the platform broken away and illustrates two of the cars as well asthe propelling mechanism and the tracks for the car carriages.

Figure2 is a sectional View taken approximate- 401 lyon line 2--2 of Figure LIooking in the direc tiohofthe arrows. l

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken approximately on line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrowsl J l i I Figure l is a sectionalview taken approximately on line 4-4 of Figure 3, lo-oking in the direction of the arrowsm l t Figure 5 isasectional view taken approximate 1y on line 5- -5of Figure looking in the directron of thearrows. c l l Figure 6 is asectional view taken approximate- 1y on line 6-6 of Figure 3, looking in the directionloftthe arrows. 5,; Figure 7 is a sectional view taken approximate and specifically pointed tinuous likel the channel rail Ebut ter minate at 1y onlline L- l ofFig ure 2, looking in the direc Figure 8 isa sectional view taken approximate-j 1y on line ,8-8 of Figure 2, looking in the direcg the base andthe platform, the wall having suitable door closedb-penings therein wherebyaccess may be had belowthe platform.

The platform is preferably of the shape shown,

to include rounded endlportions and areduced U? intermediate portion and preferably hasa fence 4 about the edge thereof, with suitable gates to allow ingress and egress to the. cars. Steps, ramps or the like'extending from the ground to the platform are likewise provided, in the event the device is not disposed within a building and in that case, the platform can be arranged'level l with the building floor. r

Resting upon ad fixed to the body structure is a continuous channelrail 5 shaped in theform of a figure' eight and disposed directly below a, slot 6' of like shape in the platform, as shown in ,Figures 1and2. Cooperating with the rails 5 .to provide tracks for thecar carriages to be later described, are u per and lower rails 1 and 8 respectively, arranged in pairs, and fixed to certain of the uprights 2 in arnanner so that the walls of each pairaredisposed in face to face relation; The rails! and 8 are likewise fixed to uprightsBfand other suitable supporting means disposed alongthe lengththereof.

Arranged within each of the circular portions of thetracks are uprights Ill having rollers l l journale'd to theupperends thereof, and upon which is mountedan annular angle rail l2 secured 5 tothe lower flange of a relatively largeflanged pulley wheel l3, that includes spokes M in the form shownradia tingfrom a hub l5 mounted on a.

vertical shaft .I Gin close proximity to the under;-

side of the platform, as shown'in Figure 2, and 5 the shaft IE1 is suitably supported in a member ll secured tothe body frame structure, as clearly shown in Figure 2. l l

The upper and lower rails I and 8 are not conthe track crossing, and the inner rails of the upper pair terminate adjacent to the wheel carr'ied rails !2 which not only hold the wheels,

properly centered and mounted on the roller supporting means therefor, but likewise'cooperate with the outer upper rails I to provide the upper trackabout the wheels as shown in Figure 2, while the upper track inwardly of the wheels is made up of both of the upper rails 1, as clearly shown in Figure 4. i

The propelling mechanism includes apair of upright shafts l8 mounted in suitable bearings secured to the body frame structure and the uprights 9 for disposal upon opposite sides of the track crossing, as best shown in Figure 1,-and fixed to the upper ends of each of the shafts l 8 is a sprocket l9. Each of the sprockets receive the upper portions of double sprocket chains that cilitate the travelof the carriage about the cirare trained thereabout and likewise about the wheels l3 and within the flanges thereof. Secured to the lower ends of the shafts l8 are beveled gears 2i meshing with beveled gears 22 secured to the ends of a horizontal shaft 23 that is mounted in bearings depending from the body frame structure, and has a pulley 24 secured thereto about which is trained a belt 25, in the form as shown, for connection with suitable power means, as will be apparent, By that construction, it will be obvious that the shafts [8 are rotated in oppo- 1 site directions formoving the chains 20 accordingly, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 1.

While I have illustrated only two cars as shown in Figure 1, it willbe obvious that any number of cars may be used, it depending upon the size of the device, and each car is provided with a carriage as best shown in Figure 3 which illu'strates that each carriage includes a pair of rectangular frames 26' and 2l', withangle brackets 28 securedto the inner end of the frame and having openings therein for receiving a shaft 29' that extends through the inner ends of the frame 21 for hingedly securing the frames together to allow relative swinging movement thereof, to facular portions of the tracks, and the shaft 29 is secured to the frames by collars 30 pinned or otherwise detachablyfixed thereto, as shown in Figure 3.

The frames 26 and 21 are provided with. inner reinforcing members 3| and mounted in brackets secured to the outer ends ofthe frames are the stems 32 of bearing'members of caster wheels 33.

which are mounted for travel in the channel rails 5, as best shown in Figures 4 and 5. Mounted on each of the stems 32 are substantially U- shaped members 34 disposed for wiping engagement with the confronting faces of the lower rails 8 and have outwardly directed flanges 35 formed on the lower edges thereof for wiping engagement with the undersides of the rails 8, for holding the wheels 33 within the rail 5, as willbe obvious upon inspection of Figures 4 and 5.

. Mounted and suitably held on of the shaft 29, as well as intermediate'its ends for disposal about and below the collars 30 respectively,-are upper and lower bearing strip plates 36 and 3! arranged in companion pairs and having rollers 38 and 39 journaled between the same,'there being three rollers between each of the pairs of strips and the .end rollers are journaled on pins, while the center rollers are journaled on the shaft 29. The lower rollers .39 are disposed in wiping engagement with the lower rails 8 as shown in Figure 4,'while the upper rollers 38 are adapted for Wiping engagement with.

the lower end.

the upper rails I and the rails I2 6f the wheels 13.

Cooperating with the upper rollers 38 for wiping engagement with the rails I and 12 are rollers 4|], likewise arranged in groups of three and journaled between companion bearing strip plates 4| mounted on headed bolts 42 extending through and rising from the outer ends of the upper portions of-the vertical frames 26 and 21. The center rollers of the groups 4!! are journaled on the bolts 42, while the end rollers are journaled on pins bridging the plates 4! adjacent the ends thereof, as shown.

Pivoted and held on the upper ends of the bolts 42 by the nuts thereof, are the outer ends of flat bars 43 that are mounted upon bearing collars 44 on the bolts and the inner ends of the bars are pivotally or loosely mounted on the shaft 29,

as well as spaced from the upper bearing plate 36 [by a collar 45 to allow for free swinging movement of the bars with the frames, when the carriages are rounding the curved portions of the tracks, as will be apparent. Formed on and extendinglaterally from adjacent the outer ends of each bar and upon opposite sides thereof are lugs 46 providing teeth for disposal within the lower links of the sprocket chains 20, for propelling the carriages about thetracks, as will be apparent upon inspection of Figure 6, and it will be obvious that the carriages together with the bars are of sufficientlength, so that the bars will bridge the crossing of the tracks for the disposal of a tooth or lug 46 in the links of one of the chains, while the tooth at the Opposite end of the bars is disposed within a link of the other chain. By that feature, it will be obvious that the cars will be continuously propelled, in view of the fact that at least one of the lugs'46 will be engaged with a link, at all times.

The shaft 29 is of a length to extend through the slot 8 of the platform to travel thereimas well as a considerable distance above the same,

as shown in Figure 3, for disposal within a sleeve 41 providing a bearing socket .therefor, and the sleeve is secured within a passenger carrying body 48 which I have termed a car, as the body 48 has no axles or wheels associated therewith in the usual manner, but isrotatablymounted onthe shaft 29, so that each of the bodies or cars will swing about a vertical axis in either direction, as it travels about the platform.

The passenger carrying body or car includes a bottom 49, a rear wall 50 and side walls 5|, the latter including converging forward portions pro-, viding the front of the body, as best shown in Figure 1. The side walls are recessed as at .52, to allow easyegress and ingress and the rear wall and the side walls at the rear of the latter are of greater height than the front portions of the side walls to provide side and back rests for a seat 53 that is secured to the rear and side walls, as well as mounted upon the upper portion of the sleeve 41 that registers with an opening in the bottom wall to allow for the passage of the shaft 29 therein. The upper end of the shaft bears against a suitable bearing 54 withinv the sleeve, and while the bearing is shown as having fiat faces, it may be in the form of a ball, to eliminate friction to a minimum.

It is thought from the foregoing description that. the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall appended claims.

What I claim is: l. A passenger carrying amusement device comprising a track including a base rail of figure within the scope of the eight formation to provide a crossing, upper and Y lower rails arranged for cooperation with the base rail, carriages each including a pair of comthrough the slot for travel therein, passenger carrying means for each carriage and rotatably mounted on the shaft for disposal above the platform, propelling means for the carriages and including a pair of chains, one of said chains being disposed within one rounded portion of the track andthe other chain within the other round-.

ed portion, means for driving said chains in opposite directions, a flanged pulley wheel for each chain and being of a diameter to guide the same about the rounded portions of the track, toothed means included in the carriages for detachable connection with the chains and being connected to at least one chain at all times, and the carriages being associated with the chains to prevent contact of the passenger carrying means with each other but to give the appearance that they will collide when approaching the crossing.

2. A passenger carrying amusement device com prising a track including a continuous base rail shaped to provide a crossing, upper and lower rails arranged for cooperation with the base rail, carriages including caster wheels and upper and lower rollers, said caster Wheels mounted for travel in the base rail and the upper and lower rollers being mounted for travel on the upper and lower rails, passenger carrying means mounted on each carriage to be carried thereby, propelling means for the carriages and including a pair of chains, one of said chains being mounted with in one of the rounded portions of the track and the other being mounted within theother rounded portion, sprocket means for driving the chains in opposite directions, a pulley wheel for each chain and guiding the chains about the rounded portions of the track, roller supporting means for the pulley wheels, angle rails secured to the pulley wheels and mounted on the roller supporting means, said angle rails providing portions of the upper rails of the track, and the carriages being associated with the chains to prevent contactof the passenger carrying means with each other but to give the appearance that they will collide when approaching the crossing.

3. A passenger carrying amusement device comprising a track including a base rail of figure eight formation to provide a crossing, upper and lower rails cooperating with the base rail and being arranged in companion pairs with the rail of each pair disposed in face to face relation, carriages including caster wheels mounted for travel in the base rail and upper and lower rollers arranged in groups of threes for travel between and on the upper and lower rails, flanged means mounted on the carriages and engaged with the underfaces of the lower rails to hold the carriages against vertical movement, an upright shaft included in each carriage and hav-' ing portions of the carriage pivotally mounted the passenger carrying means with each other a but to give the appearance that they will collide when approaching the crossing.

l. A passenger carrying amusement device comprising a continuous track shaped to provide a' crossing, carriages mounted for travel along said track, a platform supported above the carriages and having a slot therein following the shape of the track, an upright shaft included in each carriageand extending through the slot for travel therein, apassenger carrying body including a bottom, rear and side walls, the latter having convergingforward portions connected together to provide the front of the body, a seat in the body, bearing socket means in the body and registering withan opening in the bottom thereof to receivethe shaft within the socket for rotation of the body on the shaft, propelling means for the carriages, and the latter being associated with the propelling means to prevent contact of the passenger carrying bodies with each other but to give the appearance that they will collide when approaching the crossing.

ARTHUR VOLLBRECHT. 

